The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department warns the public to co-operate with officers issuing penalties to litterers.

The warning comes after a man was fined $4,000 for refusing to co-operate with department officers when they tried to issue a fixed-penalty notice to him after he threw a cigarette butt on the footpath in Chuen Lung Street, Tsuen Wan, on June 9. He had to be arrested with Police assistance.

He was issued the fine in Tsuen Wan Magistracy today for refusing to provide personal particulars and proof of identity, and was ordered to do 240 hours of community service for the littering office.

The department reminded people to observe public-hygiene regulations, saying litterers should co-operate with law-enforcement officers who are empowered to issue fixed-penalty notices for violation of public hygiene laws.